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A psychology student is told by a prominent clinical researcher that a new therapeutic technique is highly effective because it 'makes intuitive sense' to them. Instead of accepting this claim, the student decides to conduct a randomized controlled trial to measure the technique's actual efficacy. Explain how the student's decision to conduct a study addresses a specific limitation of the method of authority.
Question: A psychology student is told by a prominent clinical researcher that a new therapeutic technique is highly effective because it 'makes intuitive sense' to them. Instead of accepting this claim, the student decides to conduct a randomized controlled trial to measure the technique's actual efficacy. Explain how the student's decision to conduct a study addresses a specific limitation of the method of authority.
Sample answer: The student's decision to run a randomized controlled trial addresses the limitation that authority figures may base their conclusions on their own flawed intuition rather than empirical evidence. By conducting empirical research, the student tests the claim objectively rather than relying on the researcher's intuitive belief.
Key points:
- Identify that the researcher is relying on intuition rather than empirical evidence.
- Explain that the student's empirical study provides objective data to test the claim.
- Connect the study to overcoming the limitations of accepting authority claims unquestioningly.
Rubric: A correct response should identify that the authority figure was relying on intuition instead of empirical evidence, and explain that conducting an empirical study overcomes this limitation by obtaining objective data.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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A psychology student is told by a prominent clinical researcher that a new therapeutic technique is highly effective because it 'makes intuitive sense' to them. Instead of accepting this claim, the student decides to conduct a randomized controlled trial to measure the technique's actual efficacy. Explain how the student's decision to conduct a study addresses a specific limitation of the method of authority.